Salmonella Outbreak Prompts MD Oyster Recall: What To Know

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a consumer safety alert tied to oysters distributed to Maryland restaurants and retailers, warning that residents are at risk of salmonella exposure.

Salmonella may have contaminated oysters harvested from Virginia's Little Wicomico River between Sept. 18 and Oct. 8.

The recalled oysters are whole (shellstock) oysters from the Little Wicomico Oyster Company, which issued its voluntary recall on Oct. 8.

The FDA is urging residents not to eat, serve or sell recalled oysters, and to dispose of the flagged product. The agency warns that food containing salmonella may look, smell and taste normal.

To date, salmonella from the contaminated oysters has caused 27 illnesses and five hospitalizations across 12 states, according to the CDC.

In addition to Washington, D.C., and Maryland, the flagged oysters were distributed to the following states:

• Virginia
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• New Jersey
• Nevada
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Texas

As a precaution, the Virginia Department of Health has temporarily closed the Little Wicomico River harvest area.

No other harvest sites tied to the salmonella case were flagged by authorities.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms usually appear within 12-72 hours of eating contaminated food and can last from four to seven days.

Elderly people, children under five years old and people with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe infections. Sometimes, salmonella can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious infections with long-lasting complications. Occasionally, it can be fatal.